VIJAYAWADA: Young spikers from Andhra Pradesh brought smiles on the faces of the game’s administrators on Monday as they returned victorious from Puducherry winning a national title defeating Gujarat 3-0 in the final in the 39th National sub junior volleyball championship. The A.P. team, after a gap of 20 years, won the gold medal in a premier volleyball tournament.
“The team had played so well that the they defeated all its rivals in an emphatic 3-0 margin. Two boys T. Balaji of Srikakulam and M. Sunil of West Godavari were picked for the national camp,” said Andhra Pradesh Volleyball Association president and Dronacharya awardee A. Ramana Rao.
SAAP managing director Bangara Raju felt that the same team should be nurtured in the coming three years for the challenges in the next age group contests. “Both the volleyball association and SAAP should come out with a time table to groom this team which possesses the wherewithal to make it big,” he added.
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Mr. Ramana Rao said this triumph would give an impetus to the seniors and the aim of the association was to win the title in the National Games which would be held in Amaravati in the coming years.
Mr. Raju said the team would get all the incentives in the new sports policy. “It is heartening that the message has reached the Chief Minister who has congratulated the team,” he said.
This victorious team had a two-week coaching camp at Vizianagaram under the watchful eyes of coaches Suri Babu and Krishna Babu before leaving for Puducherry. The team members were presented with mementos both by the association and sports authority officials at a felicitation organised at the IGMC stadium.
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